Important: Before you start knitting, pull the silk hanks through cold water and hang over a broom handle to dry. Weigh down ends of hanks (using a second broom handle or similar)! Borders: K3, p3 alternately. Stockinette stitch (St st): K right side rows and p wrong side rows.

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Cable pattern: Work odd rnds foll knitting chart. In intermediate rnds work sts in pattern. Rep PR between arrows continuously across the rnd. Work 1st to 14th rnds once, then rep 7th to 14th rnds as often as required. Blank squares within the knitting chart have no significance. They just serve to improve the clarity of the chart.

Gauge: 23 sts and 30 rows = 10 x 10.5 cm/4 x 4 1/8 over St st.

Back: Cast on 92-101 sts. Work border for 5 rows (= 1.5 cm 5/8). Then work St st, increasing 0-1 st in 1 st row after border by picking up the horizontal thread between 2 sts and k1 through back loop (= 92-102 sts). Side shaping: Inc 1 st on each side in 5th row from border. Then inc 1 st on each side of every 10th12th row 4 times (= 102- 112 sts). Armhole shaping: After 52- 58 rows (= 18.5 -20.5 cm/7 1/4- 8 from border), bind off 2 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Then bind off 1 st on each side of every other row 8 times, every 4th row 4 times, and every 6th row 5 times (= 64-74 sts). When armhole measures 66 rows (= 23 cm/9), bind off center 30 sts for neck. Complete each side separately. At inside edge of every other row bind off 5 sts twice. When armhole measures 72 rows (= 25 cm/9 7/8), bind off remaining 7-12 sts for shoulder.

Front: Work as back, but for the lower neck bind off center 22 sts when armhole measures 54 rows (= 19 cm/7 1/2). Complete each side separately. At inside edge of every other row bind off 4 sts once, 3 sts once, 2 sts twice, and 1 st 3 times.

Finishing: Block pieces, dampen, and leave to dry. Sew shoulder seams. Pick up and k 122 sts around armhole edges. Work border for 5 rows (= 1.5 cm/ 5/8), then bind off in pattern. Sew side seams. With circular needle, pick up and k 128 sts evenly around neck edge. Work cable pattern in rnds (= 16 cables). In 4th rnd there will be 176 sts on the needle. When collar measures 29 rnds (= 9 cm/3 1/2), work the following rnd in k1, p1 rib, knitting together the 3rd and 4th sts of each cable (= 160 sts). Bind off these 160 sts in rib in foil rnd.